Calipered Kinematically Aligned Medial Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty: A Surgical Technique.

This study presents a surgical technique for kinematically aligned medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasty with the MOTO (Medacta Corporate, Switzerland) partial knee implant. This technique aims to replicate the native medial femoral and tibial morphology by providing caliper-verified bone resections and kinematic alignment principles. The paper provides a comprehensive overview of the surgical steps and discusses the implications for implant longevity.

The Prognostic Impact of Progesteron-Receptor Expression in Surgical Intracranial Meningioma on Performance Status and Quality of Life: A Single-Center Observational Study.

Background: The relationship between meningiomas and gonadal steroid hormones has been the subject of debate, and there is limited understanding of the connection between patient, tumor characteristics, and progesterone receptor (PGR) status.

Methods: This retrospective observational study aims to explore the prognostic correlation between PGR+ and PGR-meningiomas in terms of various clinical, radiological, and surgical predictors. The analysis included 270 patients, divided into 2 groups: group A (PGR-, 194 patients), and group B (PGR+, 76 patients).

Trematocine-derived antimicrobial peptides from the Antarctic fish : potent antibacterial agents against ESKAPE pathogens.

Introduction: This study investigated the interaction with membrane mimetic systems (LUVs), bacterial membranes, the CD spectra, and the bactericidal activity of two designed trematocine mutants, named Trem-HK and Trem-HSK. Mutants were constructed from the scaffold of Trematocine (Trem), a natural 22-amino acid AMP from the Antarctic fish , aiming to increase their positive charge.

Methods: The selectivity of the designed AMPs towards bacterial membranes was improved compared to Trematocine, verified by their interaction with different LUVs and their membranolytic activity.

Sustainable and effective reconditioning of SPR gold chips functionalized with molecularly imprinted polynorepinephrine.

Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) technology has revolutionized the study of affinity-based biomolecular interactions, offering label-free and real-time analysis capabilities. However, traditional SPR gold chips have been viewed as disposable due to challenges in post-use reconditioning, leading to significant resource wastage and increased costs. To address this issue, we propose a novel approach utilizing polynorepinephrine-based (PNE) Molecularly Imprinted Bio-Polymers (MIBPs) as alternative receptors to conventional antibodies.

Elective Surgical Repair of Popliteal Artery Aneurysms with Posterior Approach vs. Endovascular Exclusion: Early and Long Term Outcomes of Multicentre PARADE Study.

Objective: The aim of this study was compare elective surgical repair of popliteal artery aneurysms (PAAs) via a posterior approach vs. endovascular exclusion, analysing early and five year outcomes in a multicentre retrospective study.

Methods: Between January 2010 and December 2023, a retrospectively maintained dataset of all consecutive asymptomatic PAAs that underwent open repair with posterior approach or endovascular repair in 37 centres was investigated.

Safety and efficacy of intra-erythrocyte dexamethasone sodium phosphate in children with ataxia telangiectasia (ATTeST): a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial.

Background: Ataxia telangiectasia is a multisystem disorder with progressive neurodegeneration. Corticosteroids can improve neurological functioning in patients with the disorder but adrenal suppression and symptom recurrence on treatment discontinuation has limited their use, prompting the development of novel steroid delivery systems. The aim of the ATTeST study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of intra-erythrocyte delivery of dexamethasone sodium phosphate compared with placebo in children with ataxia telangiectasia.

Heterozygosity for loss-of-function variants in LZTR1 is associated with isolated multiple café-au-lait macules.

Purpose: Pathogenic LZTR1 variants cause schwannomatosis and dominant/recessive Noonan syndrome (NS). We aim to establish an association between heterozygous loss-of-function LZTR1 alleles and isolated multiple café-au-lait macules (CaLMs).

Methods: A total of 849 unrelated participants with multiple CaLMs, lacking pathogenic/likely pathogenic NF1 and SPRED1 variants, underwent RASopathy gene panel sequencing.

Leaks after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy: 2024 update on risk factors.

Purpose: Leaks after sleeve gastrectomy remain a deadly complication significantly affecting outcomes and medical costs. The aim of the present review is to provide an updated decalogue on leak prevention.

Methods: Risk factors of leakage after LSG were examined based on an extensive review of literature (in period time 2016-2024) and summary of evidence was provided using Oxford levels of evidence scale.

Renal Function Preservation in Purely Off-Clamp Sutureless Robotic Partial Nephrectomy: Initial Experience and Technique.

The aim of our study is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of a sutureless off-clamp robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (sl-oc RAPN), particularly its impact on renal function. A multicenter study was conducted from April 2021 to June 2022. Patients diagnosed with a renal mass of >2 cm and a PADUA score of ≤6 consecutively underwent an sl-oc RAPN procedure.

Isolated Intracranial Hypertensions as Onset of Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein Antibody Disease.

Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody disease (MOGAD) is characterized by multiple phenotypic conditions such as acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, optic neuritis, and myelitis. MOGAD's spectrum is expanding, with potential symptoms of increased intracranial pressure that are similar to idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH). We report a boy with new-onset continuous headache and a brain MRI at onset suggesting idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH).

Combining Intravenous Thrombolysis and Dual Antiplatelet Treatment in Patients With Minor Ischemic Stroke: A Propensity Matched Analysis of the READAPT Study Cohort.

Background: The optimal treatment for acute minor ischemic stroke is still undefined. and options include dual antiplatelet treatment (DAPT), intravenous thrombolysis (IVT), or their combination. We aimed to investigate benefits and risks of combining IVT and DAPT versus DAPT alone in patients with MIS.

Brain Punch: K-1 Fights Affect Brain Wave Activity in Professional Kickboxers.

Background: Kickboxing is a popular striking combat sport, and K-1 is a type of kickboxing. Direct head blows can cause significant long-term injury and affect brain wave activity.

Objectives: We aim to compare the changes in brain wave activities of fighters during a K-1 kickboxing contest to those in a control group, who were striking a punching bag and were not hit by another K-1 athlete.

When the body fosters empathy: The interconnectivity between bodily reactivity, meditation, and embodied abstract concepts.

Empathy is a fundamental social ability that allows humans to infer others' emotions and intentions. Empathy is thought to be rooted in bodily sensations coming from the autonomic nervous system. In parallel, the functionality and perceptions coming from the autonomic nervous system could be improved by practicing activities that involve mind-body interactions, such as meditation.

Introducing comprehensive sexuality education in Italian schools: from the co-construction to the evaluation of a pilot intervention.

Introduction: School-based comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) is a powerful tool that provides young people with information on all aspects of sexuality and is aimed at protecting their sexual and reproductive health and well-being throughout their lives. Currently, CSE is not integrated within the schools' curriculum in Italy. This study describes the co-construction, implementation, and evaluation of a CSE project piloted among students attending lower secondary schools, in four regions of Italy.

TEP or TAPP: who, when, and how?

Groin hernia repair is the most common procedure performed by general surgeons. The open mesh technique generally represents the main technique for an inguinal repair, but a different approach is often required. Laparoscopy was found to be the answer to minimizing the impact of the preperitoneal open techniques described by Nyhus and Stoppa.

Intestinal and Extraintestinal Findings of Graft-versus-Host Disease on CT: A Case Series with Radiological and Histopathological Correlations.

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is an expected and relatively common complication after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. It may affect different organs and typically involves the skin, liver, and gastrointestinal tract (GI-GVHD). GI-GVHD may show heterogeneous presentations with peculiar diagnostic implications.

A dual-encoder double concatenation Y-shape network for precise volumetric liver and lesion segmentation.

Accurate segmentation of the liver and tumors from CT volumes is crucial for hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosis and pre-operative resection planning. Despite advances in deep learning-based methods for abdominal CT images, fully-automated segmentation remains challenging due to class imbalance and structural variations, often requiring cascaded approaches that incur significant computational costs. In this paper, we present the Dual-Encoder Double Concatenation Network (DEDC-Net) for simultaneous segmentation of the liver and its tumors.

Combined PIVKA II and Vimentin-Guided EMT Tracking in Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Combined Biomarker-Guided EMT Tracking in PDAC.

"Background/Aim": the current inability to diagnose Pancreatic Cancer Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) at an early stage strongly influences therapeutic strategies. Protein Induced by Vitamin K Absence (PIVKA II) showed an accurate diagnostic performance for PDAC. Since circulating PIVKA II has been recently associated with pancreatic origin cells with Vimentin, an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) early activation marker, the aim of this study was to investigate in vivo the combination between the two proteins.

The impact of socioeconomic deprivation on liver transplantation.

Despite global expansion, social disparities impact all phases of liver transplantation, from patient referral to post-transplant care. In pediatric populations, socioeconomic deprivation is associated with delayed referral, higher waitlist mortality, and reduced access to living donor transplantation. Children from socially deprived communities are twice as much less adherent to immunosuppression and have up to a 32% increased incidence of graft failure.

Implications of bone metastasis on response to systemic therapy in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma: A systematic literature review.

Introduction: Bone metastases negatively affect prognosis in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (aRCC). We conducted a systematic literature review to identify clinical trial publications including patients with aRCC with and without bone metastases.

Methods: The review was conducted according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‑Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and registered with PROSPERO (CRD42022355436).